Fundamental
by MaterialisingSun
Summary: (Sequel to Elemental TASM/Spidey Story) Six months have passed since Zaria's unforgettable sacrifice although it feels like days for most. Peter, the once 'friendly neighborhood spider' is now a quiet photographer only saving people out of duty. As Josh tries to find out who the new 'Shadow' vigilante is something is brewing in the streets of New York. And they aren't prepared.
1. Intro

( Welcome to the sequel to Elemental. Please check it out :) the cover was made by my wonderful boyfriend and this story is dedicated to him.)

" The Daily Bugle

October 22nd

Freak fire wrecks homes of dozens!

All inhabitants of The Smith apartment complex were stunned last night after an uncontrollable and inexplainable fire broke out. There were no casualties or minor injuries sustained however as every inhabitant asleep in the building miraculously woke up on the street outside, one of the owners of the top floor flat (Christina Lakely) was awake during the ordeal and explained to us what happened for those during those few minutes.

"One second I was putting sugar into my cup of coffee and within the blink of an eye I was outside! There were a dozen of us awake, disoriented and confused with people waking up all around us."

What do you think happened to the people of The Smith Apartment complex? Why can the police still not explain to us how this strange fire started? Is there a new superhero taken to the streets? If you have any information please contact the Daily Bugle at- "

That's how it began. With that one small newspaper article, a mystery ensued that captivated the attention of one could be superhero. Josh couldn't help but become totally engrossed in the series of newspapers creating conspiracies and panic in the large city around him. He rested his chin in his hand with his arm leaning on the table and rubbed his eyes with his other hand. With it being just after midnight and the day being filled with its own troubles, Josh knew he couldn't take much more before giving in to inevitable sleep. Blinking quickly to keep himself awake he picked up the scrapbook filled with newspaper cuttings and glanced over the headlines.

" October 25th

Victims of several muggings have stolen goods returned magically "

" October 28

Is there someone in the shadows "

And possibly Josh's favorite,

" October 30

Halloween party disaster as shadow 'ghost' terrifies attendees "

As the articles went on they started to call the person behind it The Shadow. If this person isn't superpowered the name still suits since the only way they could get away with it is if they they stuck to the shadows through all the recorded sightings.

Josh rubs his eyes for the hundredth time that night and sighs. His mind is overrun by problems and worries. He thought once he found his sister some powers she would be fine, she'd become the energetic teenager she had been before the 'mishap' as she called it. After all the other people who had lost their powers received their vials of liquid superhero back, there were only six remaining. They were a different color to the rest and glowed slightly. It took a short while for them to realise who the powers belonged to.

He winces as he recalls the internal struggle within himself when he found out they belonged to his deceased friend.

Peter had been surprisingly quiet about it, although he's not much else lately, he too has thrown himself into work, taking photos of everything and anything that reminds him of Zaria. Josh was quite impressed that his unwillingly friend was still swinging around New York saving people's lives, even if he isn't as enthusiastic about it.

But as soon as he heard the last remaining part of someone dear to him was found and taken by Josh's sister in less then five minutes he politely excused himself and has avoided Josh ever since. It wasn't like they were the best of friends anyway.

The thing that was troubling Josh though wasn't Peter, but the fact his sisters health is still slowly going downhill.

"Josh?" His sister asks from the study doorway, making him jump. If he didn't know any better he would think Jenny knew he was thinking about her.

"What's wrong Jen?" He asks with a yawn, turning away from his scrapbook, closing it in the process to look worriedly at his sister.

"I have a headache."

"You've had a headache all day Jennifer." He replies sadly, getting up from his chair to feel her forehead for a temperature.

"Yeah but it feels like the headaches I got before… before…" She furrows her brow in confusion like she can't quite think of the words.

"Like before you lost your powers?" Josh finishes quietly trying his hardest not to panic. Jennifer nods instead of speaking and sighs. Josh looks back at the scrapbook, then the time on his watch. "Why don't you go and sit down and I'll put away my books then see if we have any more of that medicine that helps."

Jennifer nods and walks away as Josh wanders in exhaustion back to his desk. He puts the loose newspapers in a pile before noticing his now open scrapbook.

"What…" He thought he had closed it, the sarcastic thought that 'The Shadow' is messing with him flies through his mind before his eyes land on seven words written in red pen across one of the free spaces.

'Josh I need your help - Cutie'


	2. Time

Everything went black.

There was no fading to it, or a flash of my whole life before my eyes just sudden blackness as my head hit the concrete floor for the second time that day.

I never thought I would wake up. Knowing what I know now I wish I never did. Because my whole world changed as I opened my eyes.

A pounding headache at the back of my head was all that welcomed me as I awoke to a blurry world. I remember asking myself, 'How am I alive?' I can't recall whether I uttered the words out loud or not but as I sat up I do recall clearly going to look myself over for cuts and bruises but only seeing the ground.

Of course a sudden thought had attacked me and distracted me from the fact I couldn't see myself. Peter! I looked around wildly but only saw the familiar blurriness of time slowed down, for some reason this was different. Peter was no where to be seen instead there was the broken remains of the glass room with rubble everywhere. Thankfully the building was still standing, which was probably why I was still alive.

Policeman and scientists were scattered around the area, all of them oblivious to me on the floor, but more importantly all of them were moving at half the speed they should have. Usually when I used the time power, everything seemed to be frozen. But if I looked close enough time would still be moving at a slower pace like with the gas in the machine that caused all this. But time hadn't frozen to an almost stop. Instead it was continuous with obvious movement at a slower rate.

I carefully stand up with a groan. I may not be able to see any bruises but I can definitely feel them. I walk to the closest scientist and stand in front of him. I stand still so even if time is slower to me he can still see me. But it was pointless as the man didn't even acknowledge me standing there.

Looking down at my invisible hand I frowned. Am I a ghost? I don't think so because a ghost wouldn't feel like they have the biggest headache possible and pain pretty much everywhere. I willed everything to go back to normal but everything continued at a slower rate and I stayed invisible to the world around me. It truly felt like the end of the world.

That was twelve long months ago. For me anyway. The life around me had only lived through six probably short fun months. Nothing like the boring time that had passed for me with as much action as paint drying outside on a rainy day.

I've been keeping out of everyone's way for a long time, badly I must add. The first time I messed up was about two months ago, which considering I've been staying away from people in general is pretty good.

I was staying in an abandoned apartment trying pretty much anything to get time to resume to normal. This was one of the bad nights, I had stolen someone's Chinese meal for a treat, trying not to think of their confusion as they reached out for their meal in one of the shops assistants hands to see it magically disappear. While trying to brush away the feeling of being a horrible thief, and the fact the empty room had no heating whatsoever, I managed to set the whole apartment on fire with some power I was unaware of.

I don't mean some small flame. I mean the entire apartment became engulfed in roaring flames with the blink of an eye. I managed to drag everybody within the apartment complex out into the streets, saving all of their lives. But of course, burning the building into a unliveable mess wasn't the best thing in the world.

After that I saved a few people, stopped some muggings and people began to notice. The media went insane! Or they seemed to have done. Every new day for them there was another newspaper article about the mysterious 'Shadow'. And Peter was famously the only one to ever get a picture of the mysterious vigilante.

You see, I'm invisible, so I thought it wouldn't hurt if I went to see how Peter was doing now and then. It started with following him to the graveyard, he visited it once a week. He didn't really do much, just took pictures of the scenery and looked horribly sad. As the months went on it got harder and harder to push down the urge to run up and hug him, so I stopped visiting him there. Instead I would tag along as he took photos around New York.

One time he attended a Halloween party. This particular Halloween party seemed quite boring and the props used to scare people were not taking the usual effect. At one point Peter wandered off to get a drink but the way was blocked so I couldn't follow.

All I did was knock over a can of drink. I didn't even realise I did it since sounds are pretty long and dragged out, mixed with the talking it was unnoticeable. That is until I turned around a few minutes later to see everyone looking at it in shock and amusement. I glanced at Peter and saw him talking to a random girl in the kitchen, obviously making all the feelings inside me scream.

So any normal person would think that maybe I should mention I'm still alive. I can't. What if I tell him I'm alive, and time never speeds up again. To give him a hope for something that could be highly unlikely is something I just couldn't do. He has the chance to move on. Not that I like it.

Which is why I decided to have some fun. To distract myself while Peter talked to this new girl.

It probably sounds amazing 'I moved things through the air and freaked everyone out at a Halloween party' but that's not quite how it was. For one thing it was kinda boring until their reactions kicked in. I had to move at the speed of a snail for them to even notice the movement properly.

Eventually though they all looked pretty freaked out as I moved across the room. But when I turned I noticed It wasn't the items I was moving through the air they were looking at, instead they were all intensely staring at me. They still couldn't see me, but for some reason whatever messed up power I had absorbed from that explosion didn't make shadows invisible.

I froze as I saw Peter, holding his camera and snapping a picture that made it to the front page. Well… the front page in a small corner.

Since then I've been extremely careful. More careful then i've been the entire year, and it's no fun at all. I've watched Peter become this unsocial Photographer who only goes out for work and to save people's lives.

I wish I could tell him. To ask him to help me would be amazing. But I can't, and there's only one alternative. Another vigilante almost, but not quite, as smart as Peter.

That's why I'm standing in Josh's study, staring at the picture Peter took of my shadow at the Halloween party while I wait for Josh to notice my message. Hopefully he does notice it, otherwise I'll have to… I don't know put notes up all over his house with the same message. He's my last hope of getting back to normal since it's his sisters power that seems to be the problem. I glance over to see him read the note In shock.

I guess this is the beginning of my last chance.


	3. Draw

Who knew the beginning of my last chance could be so boring. Although technically it's not quite the beginning anymore since it's been a few weeks since the big reveal with Josh and we've gotten nowhere.

Ok that may be a overreaction caused by meagre results. It's not like there haven't been results at all. We've worked out a sufficient communicating system with notepads and paper accompanied with pens spread around Josh's house. I've also become a semi permanent resident of Josh and Jennifers spare bedroom.

Josh decided to tell Jennifer about me pretty early on when he found out where I was staying, which happened to be in a abandoned house with no hot water or heating. She was surprisingly ok with just knowing a invisible shadow was moving around her home with her old powers. When she found out that the person who was using those powers was me, she freaked out. She really is a massive fan of Elemental.

Wow I haven't thought about that name in months, what I wouldn't give to go back to those innocent starting days as a vigilante. Except for the being stabbed thing, I may leave that bit out if I had the chance to go through it again.

I tap a pen on the desk as I watch Josh looking through a microscope, his attention is fixed on the small drop of my blood that could hold the answer to all our problems. Thank goodness he's distracted though, we've spent the last hour arguing about my disappearing every night. He somehow managed to find out his invisible friend vanishes constantly. That's what happens when a twenty four hour day turns into a long, drawn out, forty eight hour day. I still sleep the same amount as if time hasn't changed at all so I am constantly bored, apparently I'm not allowed to wander around with 'The Shadow' on the loose. How he hasn't figured out The Shadow is me I have no idea, but I'm quite glad he hasn't since my powers have been playing up more and more lately.

The other day I was trying to stop this bank robber when suddenly the whole room froze. Everyone In the room was frozen to the floor with the ice wrapping around their ankles. If Josh or anyone finds out its me I will be in so much trouble, several of those innocent people ended up in hospital because of how cold I made it purely because I was using another unknown power. I'm like a unwilling criminal attacking people by mistake. What would Peter think of me?

A long dragged out ringing sound suddenly fills my ears and I wince as Josh responds to the doorbell and goes to see who it is. I hate when he has visitors, I have to be extra careful when I've only just gotten used to acting like a loud human. Maybe the message Jennifer left me this morning is true, she told me she wouldn't be able to handle 12 months alone because she'd turn into a mean unsocial person.

Yeah… she may not have been in a good mood since she wasn't feeling well. But she could still be right about the being alone 12 months thing, I could be that mean unsocial person and not realise it since I have no one to talk to.

I start to doodle on one of my last notes telling Josh about some books I would like to read. I draw little spiders encircling a girl who looks like I did as Elemental with some slight changes. I should use this suit if I ever get out of this time thing.

I hear a long nervous laugh coming from the hallway alerting me to the fact Josh is coming back, and he's not alone. I wonder who could possibly want to visit Josh at all in his home turned science lab.

Nothing quite prepared me for the face I saw. There, standing in Josh's study wearing his cute glasses and looking significantly sadder then normal was my amazing Peter. I freeze in my frantic cleaning of notes to the point he almost sees floating papers. I dash across the room to Josh's desk and grab his phone that's charging on the table. I have a plan to hear their conversation that just might work. I turn on the camera and sit down in one corner of the room and hit record. As I steady the camera in the direction of Josh and Peter, I try to rid my mind of the tempting thought of memorizing Peter's face so just in case I don't see him again, I'll always remember.

"So uh... what are you doing here? It's just I'm kinda busy and I didn't know you were coming." Josh asks quickly, his voice laced with nerves. I stare down at the video playing out on the small phone screen at double the speed so it makes sense to me. I learnt this trick for watching TV, times slowed down but hey! At least whatever made me like this was kind enough to let me watch videos and tv programs.

Peter has already left, looking extremely angry. Josh looked almost as annoyed as he stormed off to his bedroom with no explanation for me as to why the man I love was just arguing with him. At least I can find out by myself by watching the world at a normal speed for me.

"I don't know I was just… I have no idea why I came here." And just like that the sound of Peter's voice fills my ears for the first time in a whole year. This isn't fair, in all the stories and superhero movies we would be together by now and I'd finally be allowed to tell him what I should have a long time ago. "How's Jennifer?"

"She's sick, what's going on Peter? You've tried to avoid me for almost seven months. I've only managed to speak to you three times since Za-" Peter looks up at Josh with a mixture of anger and despair holding his hand up in a stop gesture before speaking.

"Don't say it. I came here because I needed someone to talk to. Not because I wanted to be reminded about…" He sighs and seems to compose himself. My heart is beating so fast, does he not want to remember me? Is it to painful? Why can't I be normal. I wish I could just tell him I'm alive. "I was going to ask about The Shadow. Last time I saw you, you said you were going to investigate him and I thought I could see what you had come up with."

Why does everyone assume The Shadow is a guy? It does make me smile though. I cross my fingers and hope Josh hasn't found anything.

"I have been extremely busy, but I managed to find out this shadow person likes sticking to a few certain areas. Weirdly enough-" Josh grabs a map off the desk and points to a few areas for Peter to take notice in. "Here and here, the area I live in, and this large area on the other side of town."

Peter stares at the map for a long time, hopefully he doesn't notice that one of the shadows favorite places includes the coffee shop we used to hang out in and the Bank where we first met.

"Why the sudden change in interest?" Josh questions genuinely intrigued in what the answer could be.

"I spotted the Shadow once. I'm kinda intrigued as to why some vigilante with amazing powers would purposefully scare people at a Halloween party, and also yesterday I made it to this bank being robbed to find the whole room frozen so I thought…" Peter stops in his tracks and stares at something on Josh's desk. "Why on earth do you have a picture of Ria surrounded by Spiders!"

So that's why he stormed off annoyed! Oops…

(An actual chapter oh wow! So I completely didn't forget that I was supposed to write for my stories. I was actually writing a new story and realised that maybe, just maybe I should update my other ones first. So there you go! And Peter and Zaria were in the same room! Amazing! Anyway guys see you next chapter and I hope you enjoyed this.) ((Btw there's a doctor who fanfic in the works just in case any of you are interested))


	4. Dream

Pain. That's all I felt as I opened my eyes and saw what looked like a dream world. I was sitting on the floor in the middle of Darius' abandoned car shop where all of this started. Feeling disoriented and dizzy I shakily stand and take in my surroundings. How do I know this is a dream? I've never been able to pick my dreams before.

My vision is blurry but I realise that the car shop looks just like it did when I first woke up after the explosion. But weirdly enough it seems like everything around the building doesn't exist. I look out the window to see a blinding bright white light filling my blurry vision. I have no idea whats going on, i hardly ever have dreams like this. Turning away from the window I spot a woman facing away from me. I walk closer to her and tilt my head. Why does this dream feel so real?

"Hello? Who are you?… Please tell me what's going on?"" The woman turns around to face me and suddenly it's like I'm looking at myself in a mirror. Standing in front of me, complete with the old Elemental suit, is me. She grins slyly and steps closer.

"So that's what I look like now. Who knew! Well… it could be worse." Other me says cruelly. How dare she! I? This is so confusing.

"Who are you?" I ask again, genuinely astounded and kinda stuttery since I haven't spoken to anyone in over a year.

"I'm you! Well, now I am. I'm a little add on." She runs her hand through her hair and smiles like she has a secret. "You see it all started here, in this building. Every single one of your problems originated with that explosion. Including a very big one. One of those little people your darling brother took powers from wasn't a young teenager. She was a psychopath with some pretty cool powers and one very evil alter ego. I guess you inherited it."

All this time I knew I would have other people's powers, but I never thought I'd get a power that would genuinely frighten me. As she steps closer with a ever increasing evil glare, I can't help but step back and bite my lip nervously.

"I'm the one messing around with your powers. I'm the one making sure that you can't go back to normal time." She smirks and walks away to one corner of the room. "But before you start yelling at me or whatever, if I hadn't slowed down time you'd be dead."

"And you thought that this would be better? A life where I can't speak to anyone?" I finally reply, I can feel the anger fill my mind and almost take over as every word and feeling I've kept inside explodes towards the person in front of me.

"You'd prefer to die? I was gonna give you an offer you can't refuse, for things to go back to normal. But if you want to die then I can…"

"Shut up!" I yell, covering my ears, not being able to take her words any more. The whole room falls silent as the other me rolls her eyes and crosses her arms.

"Wow, I think the whole world heard that. You're friends will probably come running so we don't have much time." I hear a voice somewhere nearby but it sounds faded and echos around my mind before the other me speaks again "Let's try two weeks of normal time."

I look at her in shock, is she giving me two whole weeks of being a human being again? Of having conversations? Of possibly being with Peter?

"But there's a catch." Of course there is, how could there not be a catch. "I need you to steal a few things. If you do, you'll get another two weeks. Sound good?"

Uh oh.

"Zaria? Wake up!" Josh shouts, shaking me awake roughly. I open my eyes and see the clearest view I've ever seen. I blink, half expecting to wake up for real, with time back to being slow. But this is no dream, I know that for sure.

"You… you called me Zaria, you never call me that." I joke, the first words I've said in such a long time.

"I heard you yell and I came running! You were having a nightmare and I could see you and… Are you ok?" He says hurriedly, I can clearly hear the panic in his voice so I smile reassuringly.

"I'm fine. Really." I get off the bed and leave him sitting there to look in the mirror. My hair is so long now, as I already knew, but the last three inches is still a bright red color. It's so strange to actually be visible, to see my hands and to feel… normal again. A dull headache is there in the back of my head but if that means I'm normal again that's perfectly fine with me. Although, do I really want to steal the things she asked me to? She didn't even tell me but in my thoughts are several chemicals, dozens in fact, that can only be found in places like Oscorp.

Is it really worth stealing, feeling all that guilt, just for Peter? He would never talk to me again if he found out! But if it's for us… oh! Why are things never simple.

(Sorry I've been busy. Hope you enjoy the beginning of the plot. I was thinking about makings this, I don't know… the Mental series and writing one last book after this one. Saying that, this one has only just started. Anyway! Enjoy!)


	5. Life

Stepping out into the cold majestic world for the first time with everything at the right speed was like stepping into a whirlwind of noise and movement becoming increasingly more and more unbearable. I stood at the exit to Josh's apartment as he waited for me to adjust, to take in the crazy, bewildering world around me.

If it wasn't for the door I was leaning on I'm sure I would have collapsed down the few steps leading to the road then and there.

Imagine that feeling you get when you step out of freezing temperatures into a hot summers day. Or when you run hot water over your cold hand, or maybe listening to loud music after silence. That is the sensation I'm feeling right now

If I had to describe it in only one word, I would say its horrible.

"Are you sure you're ok?" Josh asks me for the fourth time looking more and more worried with each question. "We can sit inside and.. just talk or something if you want. I don't want you to become overwhelmed."

"Already overwhelmed." I groan quietly, my ever present headache increasing as each second passes. I place a hand over my eyes to stop the rapid movements of life around me for a second and after steadying my now shaky breath I continue speaking. "Josh, relax. I have to go back to life eventually. I don't want to just waste my precious moments of normal time just… sitting."

"I'm not talking about a few minutes, I'm talking about you resting, getting used to everything again. You've spent so long with time at a slower rate, give your senses some time to catch up." He places his hand on my shoulder and I instantly flinch away, I give him a nervous smile to reassure him but he doesn't seem to accept in his eyes that I'm ok.

"Sorry Josh, but I need some clothes, maybe a haircut. And I want to get some supplies for a new suit." I walk down the steps and try to pretend the speed of things isn't getting to me. "That isn't going to happen if I sit around home. Resting."

"Why do you need a new suit? You are not in any way prepared to fight crime especially with Spi-" I freeze as he forms the beginning of that word. Peter. I still haven't decided whether I should tell him or not. I keep asking myself the same questions and never produce any answers. Would he be happy for me to tell him I'm alive, and then possibly disappear again? Would he be completely ok with me stealing several items from important science facilities and labs to help whatever the evil version of me wants?

'Call me Zilla' I turn on the spot as I hear a voice almost completely identical to the voice I hear on recordings of myself. My voice. The evil me. 'Yeah I know you can hear me. But you can't keep using "The Evil Me", or "The Evil Version". It's just boring. I need a name.'

I notice Josh give me a strange look as he follows next to me, like he's trying to determine whether I'm ok are actually, of which I am neither. I glance at the ground as we begin to make our way to the nearest clothes store and attempt to make no further conversation.

What kind of name is Zilla? It sounds…

'Awesome? Yes I know. Actually I thought it was kinda cute. Everybody's been calling you "The Shadow" so I found a name in your memories that meant exactly that.' Zilla says smugly with no hint of kindness in her voice.

Of course! My mother's name was Zilla. Did she tell me when I was young the definition of her name? I can't remember but she must have told me at some point. Of course an evil voice in my head would pick my mother's name to haunt me.

'I'm not haunting you I'm.. hmm I just want a new body, preferably not your one its… endured to much physical and emotional trauma. I would say… I'm using you, instead. '

Wait so.. The plan is I steal the things Zilla wants, And then after all that I'll probably have to kidnap someone and force the voice and it's very being into that person's body? No. That is not happening.

'Then be stuck with time slowed down forever if you like." Zilla replies moments before the scenery around me starts to shimmer and halt just like I remember my time power used to do all that time ago.

"No!" I shout in a loud voice, things go back to normal as Josh hears my shout and looks at me with worry and confusion.

"Cutie? Are you ok? Is it to much? We can go back.." He hugs me as tears start to form in the corners of my eyes. Terror and shock attacking me in waves as I shake my head and step back from him to wipe the tears away.

"I'm fine... I don't know what just happened, I'm sorry.." I sigh, willing that somehow I'm dreaming. Dreaming a really in depth dream that stretches over a time span of over a year. Sadly this is all real and no matter how much I wish things could be different, I'm going to have to accept the obvious.

Becoming a thief, a criminal, seems to be in my future, in my best interests. Following Zilla's commands seems to be the only way to stop time from slowing again.

Yeah ok I really need to start finding a silver lining in my predicament, this is getting ridiculous.

(Hello readers who read these note things! I'm writing again! I apologize for this chapter in advance if it is poorly written, or too short ((or has taken centuries to be written)). I have a storyline that keeps writing me into corners. If you don't completely understand what is happening please feel free to mention it. From now on the sentences with 'these' around them is Zilla and Zaria's replies will be their own paragraphs. Enjoy, leave a comment if you want and have a fantastic week. :)


	6. Stalking

The sun shines through the partly closed curtains as the sounds of a happy potential filled day filter through the small cracks that outline the frame. What a pleasant day! For other people that is.

As I prick my finger for the hundredth time on a sewing needle that just won't cooperative, I throw my almost finished suit on the ground trying to restrain the few rude words that flow through my mind. Just as I give up and begin to let a 'word' form, Jenny comes into my room and crosses her arms at me.

"ArssssSO! You've finally come to see me after.. um…" I stutter after almost ruining my cool image in front of her, maybe she didn't notice my cover up, but as she roles her eyes I realise she has. "Uh…"

Jenny leans over and picks up the discarded suit, the needle and thread still dangling from the sleeve, and sits on my bed. Silently she looks over my work with a face that can only mean she's judging it, and badly.

"Is this what the almost 'bad word' if you can call it that, was about?" I try to snatch the garment away from her reach but she swiftly pulls it away. "It's... ok. Where did you learn to sew?"

I look at the ground reluctantly realizing I have to tell her and sigh. "…Youtube"

Jenny seems to digest this new information before breaking the silence with a fit of laughter.

"Wow. Good job Zaria." She holds it up again and looks at it with more sympathy on her face "I'll finish it for you. But.. I wanted to ask, and please don't get annoyed. But… why do you need a suit?"

Good question. If it was entirely my choice, right about now I would have no intentions to make a new suit. But this isn't my choice, as my suspiciously to silent mind stalker would remind me if she wasn't ignoring me right now. Seriously, she told me not to talk to her, then has remained silent for the last two hours. Thanks Zilla, you could have at least encouraged me or at least told me I'm useless at sewing.

I wait for a smart comeback, but when none is received I frown and turn my attention back to Josh's little sister, she seems to be intrigued by my sudden quietness, even though we both know I'm still not used to talking to people again. Josh told me about twenty minutes ago when he brought in some food he forced me to eat, that for someone who isn't used to talking again, I sure do talk he ear off. So I did think I was getting better, maybe I was wrong.

Although that might just be because I was asking him about girls, and if he'd found anyone that could ever amount to me, he got angry and left as I silently wished I could keep my mouth shut.

"It's important to me that my life go back to normal." I tell her in nearly a monotone voice as I mentally beg her not to continue the subject. But, of course, she does.

"Yes, but back to your normal life would be… well… telling Peter you're alive."

"Exactly." I say as I stare at a particularly interesting corner of the carpet.

"Josh may not have noticed, but the clothes you bought, your new hairstyle," Jenny comments, as she nods to my now blonde hair. "And the colored eye contacts I found in your shopping bags yesterday, Zaria. It's like you're trying to look completely different."

OK. I know Josh is supposed to be the genius in his family but his sister is seriously a competitor. Seriously! How did she spot every single detail.

I run my fingers through the hair that, as she said has been changed. She is right. About all of it. But for some reason I doubt these facts will fool Peter.

"You... are going to tell Peter you're alive… right?" When I refuse to look in her eyes she sighs. "Please.. I don't care whether time slows down for you again, you need to tell him… You see.. A couple of days ago he came to the pet shop where I volunteer to photograph this rare albino guinea pig… that part doesn't matter he just… He looked.. He was sad. Very sad. And when he saw me it looked like he was going to cry so please, talk to him, leave him a note. Anything!"

The room fills with an almost silence as the only sound is birds singing outside my window.

"Please."

It's a few hours later now when I try to hide subtly leaning against the corner of a building, half in an alley way, half on the street. I'm totally not trying to spy on the love of my life who is currently sitting at a table outside the very cafe we had sat at all those months ago when the fiasco with Darius ensued.

He's reading a newspaper, glancing up occasionally at people who go by looking wary. I even get to spot him catch a falling cup of coffee when a young person I couldn't quite see from my spot, trips and falls near to him.

I'm not stalking. Definitely no stalking here. Not at all.

I look at the clock on my cell phone and take note he's been in the coffee shop for twenty minutes and sigh. Ok, maybe a little bit of stalking. It's for his own good!

'Why don't you go over there?' My completely unhelpful mind passenger, Zilla, says randomly. It almost makes me jump as she's been silent for hours.

"Oh, are you trying to help me now? Encouraging me?" I mutter sarcastically under my breath, completely forgetting I can speak in my head and have her still hear me. "I wonder how that would go, Oh, Hi Petey. By the way, not dead! That would just be brilliant."

'Alright, alright, no need to be sarcastic, I just thought I'd help you out, but I can see already you're to late' She answers smugly.

"Wait wha-" I go to reply but freeze as I finally turn my attention from the psycho in my head, to Peter at his seat. Well what was Peter at his seat, but is now Peter and a dark haired female that looks strangely familiar.

'She's the girl he was talking to at the Halloween party.'

After I mentally tell Zilla to shut up it takes me a moment to realise I'm stepping out of my hiding spot, willing him to notice me.

The girl has short brown hair that comes down to her shoulders from what I can see, she's wearing a very revealing black dress that instantly causes the beginnings of jealousy to burst forth inside me. Why. Why is he talking to her, he can't be that sad about me If he's talking to her all the time.

I eventually get close enough to hear their conversation and try to look like I'm busy.

"-Maybe a drink, or a walk down the street, anything Peter!" She pleads with him, grabbing his hand and looking at him with as much begging in her eyes that one person can muster, "I really like you."

He pulls his hand away and sighs, not making any comments before standing up from his seat.

"I'm sorry Betty, I just… I miss her, I think I'll always miss her. I'm not even ready to think about other people right now." My heart! It won't stop imitating the sounds of stampeding horses. He sighs one more time before moving to leave the table. "I'll see you at work Betty."

He works with this super model? Calm down brain, it's only a work colleague he strongly said no to. I still have a chance.

'Yeah, unless the guy comes to his senses.' Zilla throws into my thoughts.

"I thought I told you to shut up." I state firmly, moments before realizing I didn't say that in my head. I said it out loud, in front or everyone at the cafe. Including Betty and Peter.


	7. Run

On further observation and thought, I probably shouldn't have woken up today, I should have slept until tomorrow when Peter wouldn't be at this particular cafe. As it is my time power has conveniently forgotten to respond, as well as my invisibility. This is all just so brilliant!

There's only one option left! Albeit, a very very lame option. Run! I sprint back to the corner i very stupidly vacated and run as fast as i can down the road before spinning around to see if anyone is following. Just to be on the safe side I put on my new mask for my super cool completed suit. I had worn it just in case and I'm very glad I did since I've already gotten myself into a sort of trouble that was most likely inevitable knowing me.

"Hey! You!" A very. Very. Familiar voice yells from down the street. Should I leg it? Hide? Climb the fire escape nearby and hope it's not Peter?

As my eyes focus on the face I want to memorize forever I freeze. Peter is in arms length. My Peter. Arms length.

'Oh calm down Zaria, you sound like a hormonal teenager.' The overly helpful voice in my head states mockingly. If I wasn't scared I would blurt out my side of the conversation to her again, then I would probably have responded. But as it is, it's like Peter's line of sight on me has permanently frozen me in place, so that's not going to happen.

Why is he frowning? He shouldn't frown. He should always be smiling no matter what! He needs to be happy. Why on earth am I doing this to him.

"Hey." I say, trying to mask my British accent as much as I can. Although going a year without speaking has made my voice sound a little bit deeper, but not quite hoarse, it could still be recognizable to the man I love. "I'm not insane!"

I wince slightly at my statement, and I can even hear Zilla laughing in my head. Maybe I shouldn't have been quite so… bold.

"Were... were you wearing that mask before?" Peter eventually says after looking confused. He tilts his head slightly and appears to try and take in the features of my face that aren't covered.

"Nope. New addition, I thought people would like it but apparently not." I joke trying to sound calm while on the inside, my heart is racing.

"I'm really sorry. I thought you were someone I know." He looks at some rubbish on the side of the road looking at it likes it's the most interesting piece of art ever before adding, "Used to know."

Ouch. This guy really knows how to make a girl feel guilty. I'm definitely not getting sleep tonight but hey, come on. If I suddenly pull the mask off and yell, I'M ALIVE, apart from being relieved, he'd be really angry. Maybe he would assume I've been within reach this whole time and I just didn't want to talk to him. Or that even though I've only been back to normal time for about three days, I should have told him within the first hour. So if I slowly ease him into knowing me again, or kind of deal with this delicately, maybe he won't get angry!

'Nice theory, you really think that would work?' Zilla asks mockingly again, like she has no other tone of voice. I can almost imagine her, using my body, rolling her eyes like i always do and laughing a patronizing laugh that makes you feel pathetic.

"Maybe.." I reply to her quietly. Peter glances up at me with more confusion evident on his face and I groan. Really? Did I do it again? I need to sort out the conversing thing with Zilla because this is getting ridiculous. "Uh… I mean… Maybe I should go! I um… have a city to save you know!"

It all blurts out before I can think it through and it doesn't sink into my mind I said I'm a superhero until he looks at me with anger.

"Another one? Look. Just because she was amazing and died for the city doesn't mean she needs a female wannabe following in her footsteps!" He yells causing me to step back slightly. "Just let Spider-man do his job and forget about being the new Elemental."

Whoa. Just. So much anger. I wonder how many 'wannabes' have tried to fill my shoes to result in this response from Peter. Probably to many.

It's actually kind of ironic how he wants me to forget about being the new Elemental. When that's what I am. Maybe I should stop standing here with my mouth wide open in surprise and actually respond.

"No I'm an actual hero. I promise! I'm uh…" quick brain think. How do I figure this out. Oh! Of course! "I'm the Shadow!"

"You're…"

"Yeah… ok I may not have the best track record but I've been trying to sort some of my powers out but I'll be a pro in no time." I smile at him as he looks at me in shock.

"You were the one at that party?" He asks quietly, not quite believing what I'm saying.

"Yes. And you were there, I never forget a cute face." I wink at him, but the effect is lost on Peter because my dumb mask is in the way! How am I supposed to impress him! Make him fall in love with me, while I'm wearing this mask! As the thought of showing him who I am enters my brain, I realise it's time to leave before I do something I regret.

"I can even prove it." The confidence and flirting that was in my voice moments before is gone as I take another step back from the guy I never want to leave. "See you later mi amor"

8888888888

Thankfully my extremely unpredictable invisibility power kicked in and I was able to get away. But the whole time I was running like my life depended on it, I couldn't help but wonder what the hell I had been thinking calling him mi amor. Where did that even come from!

'Oh. That was me, just trying to help you out Zaria.' Zilla says with the most sincerity I've ever heard her speak. 'It was so boring hearing your thoughts saying over and over you wanted to reveal who you are. So i thought I'd help out, In fact all of those last words came from me. Thank me later.'

I can't help but try and reduce the anger that's building up inside me. Why must life make everything complicated.

I run into Josh's apartment and slam the door behind me, finally seeable. As I walk to the spare bedroom I groan, not realizing that Josh is in his study with the door wide open.

"You ok there?" He asks me worriedly, placing down the pen he's holding and turning all of his attention to me. After biting my lip deeply tempted to tell him everything, I look at a cobweb in the corner and sigh.

"I talked to Peter."

"Zaria!" He replies loudly, causing me to wince.

"Before you flip out! He didn't know it was me." I reply quickly, trying not to talk to fast as talking a lot and very quickly tires me out a lot at the moment. Which is probably something to do with not being used to speaking.

"That doesn't make me feel any better Zari!" He runs his hand through his hair before taking a deep breath to calm himself. "The important question here is, Are you ok?"

Am I ok? I've spent a whole year in an almost solitude. Been back to life in the last three days. And lied to the guy I loved. Am I, could I ever be, ok?

"No." I finally reply with a sigh, turning away so he can't see me start to over think and bring tears to my eyes. I need to get everything back to normal. And soon. "But I'm working on sorting that out."


	8. Falling

Sitting on a bench in the middle of a graveyard wasn't the kind of morning I was expecting when I decided to 'sort things out'. I was planning on coffee, maybe even a walk in the park. Not staring at one unmoving Peter for over an hour.

He's standing at my grave where I'm, thankfully, not burried. He must be telling me something amazing it's a shame I'm just out of hearing range. Although the talking part only started a short while ago as he had been pacing back and forth a bit. This is depressing.

'Tell me about it, can we go rob Oscorp now? Something actually fun?' Zilla asks with boredom dripping from her words. I wince and tear my gaze off Peter to look at the ground. Don't remind me…

"He's cute." A little voice pipes up, at first I think it is Zilla but when a young girl that looks about eight sits down on the park bench next to me I realise for once I have someone new to talk to, who isn't Josh, Jenny, or the pizza delivery guy. She's clutching a small Disney Princess backpack and has her hair pulled back in pigtails. Why is she talking to me!

"You… you think hes cute?" I ask her in shock, this young child likes the looks of my guy, and she's talking to a complete stranger.

"Not really, it sounds like something my sister would say and you looked like you needed someone to talk to." She smiles widely at me before starting to re tie her shoelaces that have come undone.

"Little Kid, do you usually talk to strangers?" I raise a eyebrow when she freezes, but frown as she starts to giggle.

"You aren't a stranger silly!" She shakes her head at me with a smile that says I'm the funniest person on the planet, then holds out her hand. "I'm Mya, you saved me when my mommy crashed her car ages ago."

I go to shake her hand but am surprised as she wraps her arms around me happily. How did this little kid recognize me! I look almost completely different now! Also I'm sure when I saved this particular girl I was wearing my Elemental suit. I am so surprised, in fact, that I don't flinch away from actual human contact like I have been for the last few days.

"My mommy's at home but she would hug you too, she was really really sad when you disappeared she said it was…" Mya furrows her eyebrows deep in thought before continuing, "Uh… Unfair! That's what she said!"

I smile at the ground, wishing like crazy I could remember saving this girl. I look around for a guardian or parent who should be taking care of her but see no one else besides Peter nearby.

"Do you know, that tree over there is a really good hiding place, you can hear all the sounds nearby." She stands up from the bench seat and grins at me.

"Are you trying to teach me how to eavesdrop Mya?"

"No. But he likes telling big stories about his day and apparently he likes spiders." She states with a very knowing look for someone so young. Before I can say anything she walks away with a wave, heading towards where the school is nearby.

Tentatively, I rise out of my seat and walk quietly to the massive tree Mya was talking about. Tall and thick, it is the perfect climbing tree for youngsters. Not quite though, for adults.

I put my new mask on, just in case Peter sees me since I'm only a short distance away now.

Nevertheless I place my foot in the nearest foothold and pull myself up. Climbing until I reach a long thin branch. I crawl along trying to keep my balance and make my way along the branch, when the sound of Peter's voice fills my ears.

Who knew a voice could sound so amazing, I did hear it less then 24 hours ago, yet.. it feels like a voice I've waited my whole life to hear, I love it.

"…Aunt May couldn't come this week, said she had a shift to cover at work but she brought some flowers for you. Sorry they aren't red or anything, these were the only kind in season." Even though he's only talking about normal things, I still cling on to every word. The words process in my mind until it clicks, he remembered my favorite color.. That is so sweet.

"So… I thought I saw you yesterday. I was at a cafe talking to Betty from work, when this girl started.. talking to herself. Ok.. that sounds kind of insulting but, I saw her face for a second before she ran off. It looked just like you, although she did have different hair, and looked like she doesn't eat much, but still!" He sighs and runs his hand through his hair and whispers, causing me to crawl further along the branch struggling to hear. "Maybe I'm just dreaming up what I want to see.."

I hear a loud cracking noise and it takes me a few seconds to realise the whole branch I'm balancing on is coming down. I close my eyes quickly as I fall. I land in a heap on the floor, groaning in pain before realizing I landed on Peter. Literally landed on him. If he didn't look like he was fuming I would make an amazing joke about how the tables have turned since we first met all that time ago, but now doesn't seem like the time.

"Uh… Hi" I state after quickly standing up, I hold out my hand to help him up but he just glares at me refusing it as he stands. Quick, brain! Zilla! Anything! Help! What do I say? Um… "This isn't what it looks like."

I could quite possibly be, the most unlucky person in the world.

(Promised chapter a few days late. Oops. Hope you like it :)


	9. Problem

I stand with my mouth open muttering um's and uh's as Peter impatiently waits for my explanation. The problem is, he is just so distracting! To be this close to him, to actually be in reach, is torture.

Of course he just happens to be extremely good looking on top of all this. I even surprise myself as all I want to do is grab him and kiss him even if he has no clue who I am. Although I'm pretty sure his Spidey senses would push me away first.. maybe I should get my mind back on track. Although it is extremely interesting, especially since the last twelve months with no human contact has made me stray away from it as much as possible.

I guess Peter is the exception to every little problem I have.

"Hello! I'm waiting?" Peter interrupts, causing me to abandon all my thoughts in a heap to listen and focus on his voice.

"Well I'm trying to figure out a explanation that isn't 'a little girl was teaching me how to eavesdrop, and you seemed interesting', I didn't really think you would accept that as an answer." I finally reply after biting my lip, searching my brain for appropriate things to say. And of course all I came up with is that... just perfect. "So Uh… well Hello! Fancy meeting you here!"

Peter stares at me and my pathetic try at acting like nothing happened, he doesn't seem to know whether to be angry with me, or lock me in an asylum. Probably both.

"Are you stalking me?" He questions finally, taking a step back when he speaks as if I'm going to attack him in some way. My shoulders sag with the thought, he sees me as a threat. What on earth can I possibly say now? Ugh…

"Actually no, but if I was stalking you, what would you do?" I say in a flirting tone before I can even think about it. Wait, no. That wasn't me. Which means Zilla has somehow taken over in the speaking department. This is not good.

"Hmm I don't know, maybe call the cops!" Peter says with increasing annoyance, causing my alter ego to make me pout. Actually pout.

"Well you are no fun Mr Spider-man." He freezes as the words leave my mouth. The words process and it takes a few seconds for him to stiffen up and move into a defensive stance.

"What did you call me?" The worry and horror is easily noticeable in his voice causing me to panic. What do I do now? It's like Zilla has stopped speaking, giving me control of talking again. This is so unfair! She takes control of my voice, gets me into trouble and backs out!

I need a new alter ego who actually is good at her job.

"Uh.. you know… you were telling me last time about letting Spider-man do his job and… it was a joke. A complete joke." I blush and look at the ground as I stumble through the sentences, I can almost imagine Zilla roll her eyes as I feel my ability to speak be stolen again by my overly flirty not friend. "You know, if I knew your name, I wouldn't have to make up cute nicknames. Although I can make up some nicknames for you if you want."

Peter looks at me shocked as Zilla laughs in my mind and talks to me for the first time in what feels like forever. 'You can thank me later.'

Yeah. Thanks Zilla. I'll remember not to.

"I don't know if I should tell my own stalker, my name. That doesn't sound like a good idea at all." Peter mutters, relaxing a little and actually joking back. "It's Peter, that's all you're getting. What's your name?"

Crud! Whats my name! What name could I possibly give him that he wouldn't recognize!

"Um… It's The Shadow I already told-"

"No!" He interrupts with a hint of annoyance. "I need a name. You have been eavesdropping on my private conversation with my girlfriend." He sadly gestures to the gravestone nearby before continuing. "I am being extremely calm right now. So just give me a name."

"Call me Zilla." I say before I can stop myself, well she has already forced her way into my mind, may as well steal her name. Peter looks at me in shock before nodding.

"OK... Zilla."

We both stand there awkwardly, not knowing what to say now. This is just great, his first impressions of the newish me and he thinks I'm a pathetic superhero/stalker/super flirty person.

"Um… so.. who was she?" I ask, pointing at the gravestone, wondering why on earth I would think this is a good idea as soon as the question leaves my mouth.

"She… Elemental." He simply replies, slightly shocking me at his honesty. "She saved the whole city. She was a true, natural, hero. Unlike the stalker you seem to be."

Ouch. Ok, low blow. I wonder what he would think about me if he knew that this hero, was standing right in front of him being insulted.

Thoughts of that day flow through my head in full force. I can actually visualize every moment like it happened two minutes ago. From the crazy bloodshot look in my brothers eyes. To that phone call with Peter. Every second.

"She… must have been very special then." I say, surprisingly still speaking words I really shouldn't say.

"Yes… yes she was."

I really need to sort out this Zilla problem so I can love this guy properly again.

888888

"So? What else happened?" Jenny asks with her whole attention on me, completely ignoring the tv program in the background so she can get the latest news update on the drama that is my life.

"I don't know... He muttered something about never ignoring his surroundings again, then left." I sigh and sit next to her on the couch in the dimly lit room. Jenny is feeling more and more sick as each day passes, so she strictly sticks to watching TV and doing schoolwork sent home by a friend from her school. I feel so guilty that I can't give her the powers that will fix all of her health issues, not until I get rid of the extra problem.

'Wow thanks for that, at least I moved on from the voice in your mind, to a problem. Just charming.' Zilla pipes up, sounding throughly unimpressed.

"Well don't worry Zaria. He'll fall back in love with you in no time." Jenny says reassuringly as she pats my shoulder. I resist the urge to rudely pull away and instead stand up to leave.

"Thanks, why don't you get some rest? I have to go out again, you know. Stuff to do."

"A world to save." Jenny smiles innocently, I try to copy her genuine smile with a fake one and sigh.

"Of course! I have a job to do!" Well, some people would call it a job, I just can't tell her that tonights particular job includes robbing Oscorp... it's going to be a long night.

(Surprisingly this is a filler but we actually get a full, long, conversation! Yay! Enjoy, Favorite and comment. Also at the moment I am reading commenter's stories and basically stalking their profiles so go ahead and leave a comment telling me what you think of the chapter and I will check out your stories ((as long as you don't advertise your story in the comments)) anyway thank you and goodnight!)


	10. Revealed: Part One

I quietly slide up the familar window and climb through the frame as stealthily as I can, trying my best not to alert anyone to an intruder. After finally making my way into Peter's bedroom, I make sure he's not asleep inside before straightening up to look through his desk for a pen and paper. This might sound really cowardly but I really don't want to make this confession face to face.

Not even thirty seconds have passed when the light switches on and I turn with a gasp. "Peter!"

"Zilla... Are you really stalking me or something? What are you doing here?" He looks confused, hot, and majorly worried. Oh boy.. I'm in trouble. Stay calm Zaria you have everything under control. I take a deep breath, preparing myself mentally.

"Peter. I need to tell you something important, and please don't get angry."

TWO HOURS EARLIER

'I really think you should have climbed the building.' Zilla, my overly unhelpful villian voices in my mind. I roll my eyes and stand up quickly to stretch my legs.

I've been crouching here for twenty minutes waiting for someone to come to a side door of the Oscorp building, and punch in the key code to get inside, but so far I've had no luck. Of course, the annoying nuisance that lives in my brain couldn't help but speak up.

"Who do you think I am? Spider-man?" I snappily reply, wishing she would just drop the subject. It's like she enjoys my pain!

'You do realise, you shouldn't wish to be your own boyfriend, it's kinda weird.'

"He's not my boyfriend ok! He's! He's…" I trail off aimlessly, closing my eyes to ward off any approaching tears. What a jerk. She knows what this does to me, why can't she just leave me alone. It's not like I'll commit her crimes any quicker if I'm bawling my eyes out about a boy. What a stupid! Horrible! Cow!

'He's the love of your life, I know that. I also know everything that goes on in this head of yours. A cow? Really? Is that your best insult?'

I sigh before hearing a subtle sound nearby, glancing at the door I notice a angry security guard cursing at the keypad next to the door. I could have easily missed him if I had been occupied a few more seconds. But I didn't, and I can't get occupied again.

I stare and watch the man from my position and write down every single code he attempts to use to on the door. Six tries, and one overheard conversation phone conversation later, the security guard finally gets in the building and I receive the four digit code I desire.

'Well that was boring.' Zilla states as if she's been watching paint dry for a total of twelve hours. I roll my eyes at her unhelpful and stupid comment and focus on opening the side door successfully.

"Thank you for your input. It is not appreciated." I hear her scoff in the back of my mind as I sneak down the long white daunting halls inside the staff rooms of Oscorp. I have the strangest feeling, if anyone sees my all black costume, long blonde hair and mask they are more than likely to run straight to security.

'Let me guess. You wanted to get the code, just so it doesn't feel like breaking In. How innocent and cute of you.' I can hear the smirk and amusement in her voice as my stress and beginnings of anger increase.

"Yes Zilla. That's exactly why. And of course, you only know that because you happen to be a passenger in the amazingness that is my mind. So no offense, but stop being a back seat driver." If Zilla had hands I'm sure she would have applauded me, or strangled me. If fact, judging from how unpredictable she is I can soundly say she would do both with no hesitation.

Not even I know where that outburst came from. Or how those words managed to organize themselves into a sentence that actually made sense. I guess there's a first time for everything.

I start opening doors and peeking into rooms with windows, looking for anything that sparks Zilla's interest. But door after door leads to nothing and I can't help but wonder if this whole thing is a elaborate test of my loyalty. Does Zilla just want to see if I won't stop at anything to be normal?

'Stop!' The sudden exclamation makes me jump in surprise as Zilla excited takes control and leads me into a room I almost walked past.

"If you want me to do this for you. You can at least let me control my own body." I hear a mutter of the word boring, before I suddenly feel like I'm in control of the situation again. Why is today so stressful?

My eyes land on several cases in the room holding gadget upon gadget. I gulp as I realise that I am completely out of my depth. Give me a comment to make sarcastic, or a sad person to cheer up and I'm in my element. Science and technology? No. Just no.

"What exactly am I looking for?" I ask Zilla, carefully treading closer to the rows of equipment.

'I have no idea.'

Great! Just great. Not only do I have a crazy person living in my brain who wants out, but she seems to have no clue on how to achieve the later.

"What! Then what am I doing here? Is this some entertainment for you? How about I start singing and dancing? Will that make you happy?" I yell, losing my temper for the first time in what feels like years of holding in my emotions. Within seconds I realise where I am, and that after my convenient yelling I can now hear footsteps heading in my direction. I hide behind the door so that when it opens I won't be seen unless whoever it is turns around.

Moments later a large security guard enters the room his flashlight observing every corner of the room but mine. How can't he hear my pounding heartbeat, my quick loud breaths as I panic more with every second? "Zilla! What do I do?"

The Man turns around, but before he can get a good look at me, I feel myself lose control and reach out to push him against the desk before dashing to the door. I look back for a second to see the man hit his head on the desk before hitting the floor.

Oh no! Is he ok? Should I go back and help?

But of course I fail to realise that Zilla won't let that happen. She leads me down the corridors, running, ignoring two scientists as I try my best to exit the building and be free. A faint alarm sounds throughout the building and I hear the scientists yell after me as I finally exit the building.

When I get a good distance away I lean over to catch my breath. I really need to get fit again.

"What was that!" I yell at Zilla as soon as I can breathe again, I am so completely infuriated with today, why can't it just end so I can sleep.

'I thought I would know what was needed if I saw it. I guess I was wrong.'

"Wrong? You made me hurt that guy! He could have died! He…" No. I can't think about this, or my impending breakdown might follow the theme of tonight and take control of me. Desperation instead makes its way into my mind. "What can we do? I might be stuck with you forever!"

'Please. Don't sound so happy about it.' Zilla sarcastically, yet calmly says to me. 'We need a scientist. What about that Josh guy? He seems overly smitten with you, that could work.'

I shake my head. "He has enough to worry about at the moment. I am not bringing him into this."

'Well then, the only other likely candidate must be your Sp-'

"No! I can't! He'll hate me! And what if he finds out about the guy you potentially killed?" Ask for Peters help? Is she insane? The only way he would possibly help me is if he knew who I truly am. And even then would he forgive me for hiding from him and lying all this time?

'Maybe we don't need to tell him… everything…'

PRESENT

"Peter. I need to tell you something important, and please don't get angry."

My Peter stares at me with as much suspicion as is possible in a guy and steps towards his phone sitting on his desk.

"Maybe I should just call the cops. Let them handle you and your stalkerish ways." He picks up the phone and starts to dial the number, but slowly.

"I wouldn't do that if I was you." I say, completely dropping the fake accent I had tried to add to my voice the moment I saw him again. He seems only confused but more focused on the fact I have now stepped closer to him and have placed my hand on his arm.

"Why shouldn't I?" He nervously steps back, seemingly not knowing what to expect.

I sigh, wishing Zilla would let me turn around and go home. I can obviously find another scientist equally as capable as Peter. Probably minus the spider powers and ridiculous good looks but still! I could always find someone else. I push away all my thoughts and smile genuinely at him hoping he won't be angry.

"Because, Spider Guy, you might just regret that."

(Oooooo what is happening here? So intriguing that not even I know! Ok I do :)


	11. Revealed: Part Two

"What… What did you say?" Peter asks with desperation in his voice. I need to take things slow, he's learning I'm not dead, I don't want to freak him out.

"Oh? You don't want me to call you Spider guy anymore then? I'll just stick to calling you Petey." As soon as the words leave my mouth Peter grabs my arm in surprise. His eyes hold so much hope, all because of a few names.

"Am I asleep? Dreaming or wishing so hard I'm imagining things? Because you remind me so much of Ria… you sound like her." He zones out deep in thought as I struggle to find delicate words to answer him with.

"Well you know that saying, if I sound like Zaria, fight crime like Zaria and even look like Zaria, then I must be-" I try to explain everything with as much subtly as possible when Peter rushes forward interrupting me. One moment he's slowly pulling my mask off and the next he's leaning down to kiss me, quickly and happily. It reminds me of the first time we ever kissed when he was running off to fight crime. Like the kiss had more meaning then anyone would think. In a moment he pulls away from me just staring looking at my face, like he's taking all the features in.

"How! What? Where have you been? How is this possible? I watched you…" Peter searches wildly for words but falls short of saying them out loud. He still has his hands holding my shoulders from our kiss and I feel like I'm in the most amazing place in the world.

"So many questions! Can we go back to the kissing now?" I joke quickly hoping the questions will stop there, but of course, they don't.

"Where have you been staying? Wait…" His face turns serious as he thinks the things I wish he wouldn't. "How long have you been waiting to tell me? The whole seven months?"

He walks away from me and I can't help but miss the warmth of him nearby. If he turns against me… then I'm stuck. And I can't lose him again and the thought of him having to lose me after all that happened is just… horrible.

"No! Of course not! You see…" I pace back and forth through his room as he stands there in shock. There must be some confidence somewhere inside me, I just need to find it.

"After the explosion, I must have absorbed all the powers, all of them in high concentration and… one of those powers slowed down time. I tried to fix it, I really did. I spent a whole year all alone wishing time would go back to normal so I could just speak to you again!" He regards me like he's still trying to process everything.

"You haven't been gone a whole year, you've been gone seven months. And The Shadow sightings have been happening throughout the time."

I take a deep breath. "Time was slowed down to half the speed. It was over twelve months for me, over six for you."

I watch as the words are understood, that I could have talked to him before. That I've been putting off speaking to him.

"Why.. why didn't you tell me you were alive sooner? I've been mourning all this time. Do you even care?" Tears are forming in his eyes and I'm the one who put them there. I'm doing this to him, and why? All because of some psychopath in my head? Maybe I was better off stuck in time, alone forever where I couldn't hurt anyone.

"Of course I care Peter, I cared when I watched you once a week, putting flowers at my grave without fail while I wished I wasn't stuck. I watched you save person after person and fight criminals to the point of getting hurt knowing that I couldn't even tell you I was alive because I thought I would never be normal again." It takes me a moment to realise as I pause to breathe that tears are falling down my face in free fall. At least I know he is still the only person who can make me cry. I face the window, ready to leave in a moment.

"I came here, because I need your help. I do care, no matter what you think. And I'll leave if that's what you want."

Peter shakes his head looking as upset as I feel, some of the shock having worn off. "You just expect me to forgive you? To just accept that you're alive and have been for a year? Please I… I need to think, this is a lot to take in."

He turns away to leave and I accept that he needs time when I feel with dread that Zilla takes over my voice.

"Peter! I have two weeks until time slows down for me again and you're the only one who can help me. I understand that you need time but… Please don't take to long. I'll be at Josh's house if you want to talk." I sigh as he doesn't even look at me. I regain control of my speech and decide to tell him one last important thing. "I love you."

I turn and exit out the window without waiting to see if he reacts to what I say, or even reply. I leave before any more of my feelings can be destroyed in a horrible mess of crying and emotion. Why is nothing ever easy.

(*Dramatic music* what did you guys think of the kiss! Please tell me if it needs improvement or if it's great :)


	12. Moments

I can feel my hair blowing in the wind as I sit on the edge of a tall building in town. The tears are streaming down my face like a waterfall that will never stop. How could they? I've quite possibly just lost the one important person in my life.

It's ironic, the building I'm currently sitting on the edge of, also happens to be the very building I once sprained my ankle on right at the beginning. Before all that stuff with my brother.

Gosh. That feels like such a long time ago. And I've definitely changed since then. A lot.

Why can't I go back to being blissfully ignorant and naive? Before New York, before powers. Before everything!

But of course that will never happen.

'Its such a shame you didn't get stuck with a time traveling power too huh?' Zilla jokes in what I think is an attempt at comforting. Which would be nice, you know, if she wasn't the source of all my problems.

"Shut up! I don't want to hear any comforting words or suggestions from you. Right now I'm perfectly happy to just give up and go back to you and me stuck in slow time until I die."

Silence. Beautiful, peaceful silence.

"Ria?" And the silence is broken. Not that I mind since the voice that broke it is my favorite in the world. I turn slightly and realise that Peter must have followed me. Crud! How much did he hear? "Are… are you ok?"

I hear a hopeless laugh escape me as I turn away from him and stare at the world and lives below.

"I must look so hot right now, tears all over my face. Yelling at the voice in my head. You know, if I was you right now I would be taking me to the closest loony hospital. Probably deserve it."

"You don't deserve that." He says, coming closer to me until he's standing next to the ledge I'm sitting on. If I didn't know any better I would think he wanted to be near me, and not instead making sure I'm in reach if I do something stupid like jump. Knowing me, I'd probably survive. "Life is just being… difficult."

"Oh really? Did you know Jenny's dying because of my family? And a crazy voice mind controller is holding my brain hostage? Not to mention she named herself after my mum and is blackmailing me! I mean, even to me this sounds like the worst scenario ever."

"Wait. What are you talking about?.. You know what. That doesn't matter right now." He places his right hand on mine while turning my head gently to face him with his left.

"It doesn't?" I ask him in complete confusion. He shakes his head wildly as he stares at me like I'm the most amazing painting in an art gallery.

"No it doesn't. What matters right now, in this exact second. Is that by some miracle you are here. You are alive Ria. This is everything I ever wished for. To see you again and to tell you… tell you I…" He pauses and takes a deep breath, but he doesn't say another word, he just seems lost in thought of what words to say next.

"Isn't this the part where I wake up from this amazing dream and I really fell off this building and hit my head or something?" I blush as he smiles at my comment.

"I missed your cute comments." He pulls me close to him and kisses me like this is our last moment on earth. If it wasn't for him holding his arm around me I'm sure I would have fallen off the building, off the world, drifting into outer space, way to shocked to do anything about it. He moves his lips away from mine but stays close when he speaks again. "I just… missed you. Ria, I… I love you."

Boom. There goes all thinking processes that still remained after that kiss. In fact all I can think, all that makes sense right now is that he loves me! Peter Parker. Loves me.

What more could I want? You know… other then him just saying it over and over of course.

I realise I haven't said anything for a while and he smiles. Like the world suddenly makes sense. But then he frowns.

"But seriously… What do you mean your brain is being held hostage?"

Aaaaaaaand that moment is gone.

(I'm sorry this is short but it was the only way I could start writing this again. So now I'm out of my written corner maybe, just maybe I can make the plot continue. Yet again I'm sorry this Is short but the hiatus should be over. Thank you guys for 100 favorites. This is your prize! Peter told her! Omg!)


	13. Conversations

Lying comfortably on my bed at Josh's house the next day I can't help but smile widely at the ceiling. Sure my whole life is a mess and may never be the same. Then there's that possible mental and emotional damage that could be caused by the last year. But over all of that pain and drama, I have Peter back.

Telling him all about Zilla was difficult, awkward, and on his side of the conversation, confusing. He had left almost instantly afterward promising he would come and visit me this morning after he tries to decipher what it all means. Can he handle it though? I mean, he's not the one that has to share his brain with a psychopath but still. The girl he loves happens to.

Suddenly I feel joy overwhelm me, he loves me. He actually said the words.

It's hard to understand just what it feels like to be told by the person you care about the most that they love you. The only thing I could ever compare it to is a crazy roller coaster, and even then that's not a great example.

'Yes. Ok! I get it. He loves you, you love him. Why don't you catch up with the rest of the universe since it was pretty much obvious.' Zilla groans unenthusiastically, probably wishing for a change in my thought process, which is definitely not going to happen.

"Wow… you must be so much fun at parties Zilla." I roll my eyes, sitting up to look out the window at the world outside, which just so happens to still be there. Brilliant as always.

'I am definitely fun at parties, you know I am. That Halloween party we went to was so boring until I added an interesting twist to it.'

Wait… What does she mean?

'Anyway, you might want to get dressed and make yourself look pretty because I'm sure your superhero will be here any minute.'

"He's not… mine." I mutter, wishing like crazy on every star in the solar system that he is.

'Ha! Sure. Keep telling yourself that. But while you didn't notice him outside, I sure did. And he looks a lot like you did just then, all happy and… and human.'

"Yeah that kind of happens when you are a human, shouldn't you know that?" I tease as I pull on a clean tshirt and try to not look like the crazy person I am.

'Oh whatever.'

A knock on my door makes me jump out of my skin before Jenny enters, looking like she's a mixture of horribly sick, embarrassed and possibly happy.

"Um.. Zaria. Peter's waiting in the living room. I can see why you like him, he's cute." She looks around my bedroom looking at everything except me, it sounds like she's trying to joke but her words lack their usual emphasis.

"Yeah I may have mentioned something like that to him a few times." I hear Zilla laugh in the back of my mind. "Well.. more than a few times."

Jenny sighs dramatically. Before seeming to muster up a whole lot of confidence.

"Well you know, if things with him don't work out. There's always me." Her cheeks turn wildly red as she blushes like crazy.

"Uh…" Wait. All this time has Jenny has had a crush on me? That would help explain the whole obsession with Ella thing. But how am I supposed to react to this?

'How about you don't look like a massive spider just crawled into room.' What's that supposed to mean! I only look a tiny bit freaked out and anyway! I love spiders. Jenny rushes to the door in embarrassment and opens it to leave but pauses in the doorway.

"Don't keep him waiting Zaria. He's waited a really long time for you so I don't think he'll mind if you aren't wearing a heap of makeup and the latest fashion." Jenny smiles as I nod in response and closes the door as she exits.

And I always thought Josh was the one with a crush on me.

"-You could have mentioned to me that she was alive Josh. I visited you and she was here, and you didn't say a word." I hear the hushed words before I even get to the the living room doorway, causing me to freeze in place. It's not really eavesdropping, I'm uh… taking a break from walking down the long hallway.

'I must say, when you try to get out of feeling guilty for something, you sure go all the way with no effort.' Zilla comments as I roll my eyes mentally shushing her.

"What would you have done if I had told you? Rushed to come speak to thin air? Stare longingly into where you thought she was standing while you wished things would suddenly fix themselves?" Josh replies sounding tired and defeated. "Zaria's like a sister to me now. I… I knew for sure that you being here with no means to communicate with her, would just end up hurting Zaria ten times more then that explosion did.

"She was all alone…" Peter comments sadly. Taking a deep breath I rush into the living room and clear my throat, not wanting to think about those long days, with no one to listen to. Peter glances in my direction before realizing it's me, he faces me with a smile, that look of happiness Zilla mentioned quite evident on his face. "Uh… Hi"

"Hey." I reply with a blush. A million butterflies attacking me as I take in the details of the smile I missed. We both seem to forget Josh is in the room before he coughs awkwardly.

"OK. This is just awkward. If you guys are gonna start kissing randomly then I'm outta here." I laugh as Josh starts to walk towards the hallway.

"You don't have to leave... I mean, maybe I should tell you about the reason I-"

"Maybe that's a good idea Josh!" Peter interrupts me, making me frown in total confusion. Does he not want me to inform Josh about my new constant companion Zilla?

I mean, if she was the one interrupting I would completely understand, but as far as I'm aware she can only control one mind. Mine.

"I mean... you can stay if you want" Peter says looking nervous as he notices the look on my face.

"No! It's fine, I have some work to do near the city centre. There's a new gang with way to much cash lying around." He grabs his jacket off a nearby chair.

"Have fun Robin Hood!" I call after him as he leaves, I only just capture Josh rolling his eyes before the door closes. It's nice he's going out, with all the stuff that's been happening with Jenny and me, he hasn't had much time to help people.

Peter looks at me, clearly feeling unsure about what he's going to say. In fact, he's looking like me like I'm a dangerous weapon, with no trace of the happiness I saw before.

"So, I've been thinking about what you told me. About your… friend. Zilla. I… don't think we should tell anyone." My face fills up with confusion at his words and I start to frown.

"But why? Maybe Josh can help." I say quickly, pushing away Zilla in my mind as she tries to take over my voice to respond to Peter rather harshly. Let's just say I won't be going near anyone under the age of fourteen if I can't get Zilla's language under control.

"He'll think you're insane Ria. Even I'm struggling not to think that… Maybe you're…" He replies before stopping, avoiding my eyes like the plague.

My heart almost stops. He thinks I'm insane. Broken. Is he even here because he loves me? Or because he thinks he can just fix my apparently broken mind. Anger starts to swirl inside me as I lose the ability to think and control myself. I can almost imagine Zilla jumping at the chance to take over.

"You know what, Spider Guy!" I hear myself say with venom almost dripping from my voice. "You can go to hell! You can even take your little friend Betty with you too! You'd make a nice couple."

I storm outside before he can stop me and turn invisible so he has no chance of finding me. I can't believe I said those things to him… even if it was Zilla. I should have stopped her.

'Sorry to burst your innocent, naive bubble Zaria. But I stopped controlling your voice right after I told him to go to hell.'

Crud.

(

I would love comments, I may even give away a few hints about anything you'd like to know ;) Until the next time.)


	14. Realising

I guess it could be worse. I mean, I could be hiding in a park, analysing what this Betty person's intentions are with Peter, instead of going back to apologize to him.

Oh wait. That's exactly what I'm doing.

So, It seems I may be more attracted to my insane side at the moment. Otherwise I wouldn't be trying to plot the best way to beat the competition. I even had the brief thought I could go all out and use The Shadow to scare the girl away. I guess I could just blame Zilla if that were to happen. She won't mind, it's not like anyone is going to suddenly arrest my brain and give it a restraining order against the girl.

'I find your thoughts highly amusing' Zilla comments, with laughter.

"Don't tell me you have a crush on me too." I sarcastically reply before recalling that this Betty girl has extremely good looks. I stand no chance.

Actually, I don't exactly know why I'm worried about her stealing Peter from me... But there's this nagging thought in the back of my mind just telling me I have to make sure that she stays at least one mile away from Peter at all times.

I don't think me and jealousy are a good mix in any way. But at least I can visualize what I have to compete against. But why do I pick now to do that? I haven't even thought about seeing the two of them together until this moment.

'That may be because I've been trying to suppress some of your thoughts... So much so you don't even remember thinking about it.'

"What!" Is that even possible... To have your own thoughts suppressed to the point you can't even remember thinking about it?

'Well, if you spent more time experimenting with your powers instead of staring and thinking about Spider-man all day, you would know that you could use that power on anyone. I'm just... borrowing it.' I'm utterly shocked, what else has Zilla been doing in my head when I'm not paying attention?

"Well... why aren't you doing that now?" I reply.

'I'm not a super hero. I do have other things to do besides stopping your crazy jealous side from seeing the light of day.'

"I hate you..." I mutter under my breath, as I finally vacate the park bench that has been my home for the last twenty minutes.

'No you don't.' She says smugly.

"I really do." I quickly reply. Hoping that just this once, she'll shut up. I won't even beg for silence again. I would rather have to listen to her talk constantly forever, as long as I can just bask in my lonely craziness for one minute.

'I'm in your mind, remember? I know every single thought in this pretty head of yours.' I roll my eyes imagining locking her in a cupboard forever. But knowing her, she'd probably just yell through the door. Or apparently use my own powers to free herself. Maybe if she wasn't just a voice in my head then everything would be better. 'You secretly think I'm a lot like your Mum, which is why sometimes you try to start random conversations with me, or use up all of your pent up anger since, sorry to say Zaria. You have Mum issues. And then there's the fact that you believe I'm like a charity case. Some cruel person who you are slowly making nicer as time goes by. Nice thought but you're definitely failing.'

That's it. I am so finding a way to make a prison in my mind. I'm going to throw away the key and never think about her Evil voice again.

'Well that's a bit rude. Here I was, making sure you got home safe and everything.' Confused, I look up to realise I'm now stood in front of Josh's house. The scene of the crime. Oh crud...

"Zilla... What do I do? I was such a..."

'Let's not forget! Peter thinks you've lost the plot. We shouldn't go easy on him.'

I bite my lip, maybe if I was insane it would be a lot easier. I could get locked up somewhere and be given some meds to make me my confident, sarcastic self again, and everything would be back to normal. Confident... That's it. I just need to be confident. Like I was before. Standing up straight I compose myself before smiling.

"He always thought I was crazy. I just need to show him that I'm the cool kind of crazy."

Silence ensues from Zilla's side of the conversation, and I decide to take that as her giving up on me, like forever.

'You're weird Zaria...'

"Why Thank you!" I reply before taking a deep breath and walking back inside.

"When I found out she was living in the house I was ecstatic! She started writing out all these stories for me... About you and her, and all the adventures you guys had." I hear Jennifer saying from somewhere in the house. Is she really going to talk about that to Peter? Oh god...

"There really weren't that many adventures... and she usually ended up getting hurt." Peter replies sadly. I finally realise the sound is coming from Jennifer's room. I walk over and stand next to the doorway, they don't even seem to notice.

"Are you kidding? You should know by now that Zaria's almost invincible!" She starts playing with a pen on her desk as the two talk. Jennifer is sitting on her bed next to her desk while Peter is sitting cross-legged on the floor, leaning against the wall. The thing I notice the most, is the sad smile on Peter's face as he daydreams for a second, before Jenny continues. "I mean. She spent a year all alone. With not one person to talk to, and she can still crack a joke."

"Do you think... I mean, Do you know anything about people hearing voices in their head?" Peter asks nervously.

"That's weird..." Jennifer trails off. Looking slightly amused yet stumbled by the question.

"What?" Peter asks, fidgeting slightly like he feels uncomfortable even bringing the subject up.

"Zaria asked me the exact same thing the other day. But... she didn't really remember asking me a few minutes later."

Peter stops fidgeting instantly and I lean forward in confusion. What on earth. Of course I didn't remember since I never asked her that. "How do you mean?"

Jennifer shrugs her shoulders, "I don't know.. Sometimes she asks me things then ten minutes later I'll mention it, and she won't remember. Or she'll forget an entire conversation. Sometimes I've caught her in the middle of the night trying to head out, we'll talk and then if I say something about it in the morning, she has no clue. She could be lying but..."

"What!" I exclaim, causing them both to look at me in surprise. "That didn't happen. Please tell me you're joking around Jennifer because then..."

Peter and Jennifer look at each other in worry as I grip the doorframe with one hand as I'm hit by a sudden headache.

"Zilla... What are you doing?!" I cry in pain, with Peter suddenly at my side, making sure I don't fall over.

'Making sure you don't realise.' Zilla states eerily. Like a really freaky robot.

"Realise what?"

The next thing I remember after falling to the floor, is opening my eyes to see Peter's looking straight into mine, his are filled with as much worry and helplessness that is possible in a person. He brushes a strand of hair away from my eyes and I realise that I must have fainted, since I'm now laying across Peters lap, and I feel like I just ran into a wall.

"Whoa. What happened? I was just coming back to talk to you and I... Fainted?"

"Please tell me you remember what happened?!" Peter begs me desperately as Jennifer rushes into the room with a glass of water with the same look on her face that Peter has.

"Remember What?"

(So I have severe writers block. And I kinda just want to finish this story and be done with it... I mean. I love Zaria, but I've writing her for over a year now and its getting difficult to write more with no inspiration and ideas. If anyone wants to suggest something that's cool but otherwise updates might be slow. Please comment though, as that will make me write quicker. See you soon guys :)


	15. Memories

Zilla must have always been controlling my mind. Making me think and see what I want to see. Distracting me to the point I don't notice giant gaping holes in my memories. She could have done anything, and I wouldn't have known if it weren't for Jenny and Peter.

Yet again she tries to wipe from my mind what I have repeatedly thought since I fainted. She is messing with me.

As I struggle to keep control of my own mind she tries to blind me with a memory of something I didn't even know I had, of the time when I came back from the hospital. I must have been so tired Peter had to carry me upstairs to put me in his bed, sadly in the innocent way.

_"Are you literally carrying me? How Romantic." I had said with a yawn when he was halfway up the stairs, he smiled widely and kissed my forehead as I closed my eyes, taking the stairs a bit slower then he could have. "Spidey. If you are walking so slowly because you're staring at me, I'm totally going to laugh and hold it against you for the rest of my life."_

_"The rest of your life? You're going to stick around for that long?" He questions as I open my eyes to stare straight into his._

_"Didn't you know? You're stuck with me forever Petey. Till you're old and grey." Thinking back now, I can't believe some of the things I said to him. It's like I was a whole other, confident sarcastic person._

_"I think I'm completely ok with that." He answers me, the smile in his voice so clear and obvious I don't know how I didn't notice it earlier._

_"Good. But for me to stick with you for that long, we'll probably end up being one of those weirdly close old married couples who have been best friends since forever." I had managed to stutter out amongst a yawn._

_I have come to the conclusion I was completely drugged back then. The hospital must have put me on something amazing for me to not only remember that whole conversation, but to actually say this stuff in the first place._

_"Deal. Lets end up an old married couple in the future." He whispers to me as I start to drift off to the world of sleep. "I'm gonna hold you to that Ria."_

_"And I'm going to hold you to the fact that we basically proposed to each other while you were carrying me up stairs."_

I remember wrapping my arms around his neck before falling asleep, and wishing I could stay there forever. I wonder if I imagined that, or if it really happened. Peter never mentioned that conversation the next day, or any day after that.

I'm just going to accept it happened and obsess over it for the rest of my life... uh I mean. I'm going to accept that!

But I also need to figure out how to stop Zilla from distracting me with that amazing memory. I mean, she could at least change up the memories occasionally. Come on brain hostage. Give me something to actually want to be distracted by.

'You and I both know that your mind is incredibly way to strong for that. I honestly don't know how I've been able to keep you at bay for this long.'

"At bay from what?" I ask the question she just won't answer... I wonder what her original "Host" used to be like. Was she driven insane by the person living in her mind? She must have had a really weak mind, since from Zilla's reaction, I've been fighting her taking over with every chance I get.

"I got that glass of water that you asked for. You ok?" Peter asks desperately, looking me over as if to make sure I'm still all there.

I can't imagine what he's been through. Thinking I'm dead, thinking I'm crazy, then thinking someone is wiping me from my own body. Ok. That last one sounds weird.

"What glass of water?" I ask before realising I probably shouldn't have said that, his shoulder sags as he hands me the glass sadly. "I mean... Thanks. And don't worry, I'm completely fine."

"Ria. You are not completely fine. I'm worried out of my mind, half the time I wonder if you're the one actually talking, and then the other half of me is wondering if you're going to drop dead any second now."

"I won't do that... again... I promise." I pause and think for a moment before adding. "Peter. You remember all that time ago, when I came home from the hospital? Was I asleep that whole night?"

I don't really believe it but Peter blushes, faintly but, he actually blushes. I don't think I've ever seen a guy blushing before. But I could really get used to it.

"I uh... I don't remember." He blatantly lies. Running his hand through his hair awkwardly. "Why? Where did this come from?"

"Well you see, Zilla's been trying to distract me from my mind with memories, and now she's decided to keep trying to distract me with the same memory over and over. I guess I must have made the whole memory up or something." I take a sip from the glass of water, trying to distract myself from how awkward this is.

"If you imagined both of us basically proposing to each other while I carried you up stairs then yeah it happened. " He comments casually, causing me to swallow the water wrong and cough violently.

"Did you just say what I think you said." I wildly burst out after regaining some composure.

"It was actually really funny. I hadn't even asked you if you wanted to be my girlfriend, and suddenly you were there, in my arms, asking me to be with you forever in your own weirdly cute way." He mutters as he pushes a strand of hair away from my eyes.

"Actually I think you're the one who mentioned us getting married. I was just joking around." I nervously respond, before continuing. "And you haven't even asked me to be your girlfriend anyway."

He leans closer to me with a cute grin, some of the sadness gone from his eyes as he stares at me, whispering "You and I both know you're my Girlfriend Ria."

He leans forward and starts to kiss me, ridding any thought or worry out of my head. My whole mind is focused on his lips, and the words that just came out of them.

Crud. I think Zilla has her new source of distracting me, all she needs to do is replay that conversation to me over and over and I'll never think properly again.

Its mildly sad though, part of me wishes she will.  
**_(The flashback is a continuation from the chapter in Elemental called ' And Back Again ') _**  
**((I apologize for how unserious this chapter is but I thought you guys needed a flashback to how things were and I kinda wanted to stop the whole 'I'm not even his girlfriend' thing. It only took 52 chapters and over 60,000 words (yes I counted. I am a nerd). I should write the next (sadly serious) chapter soon. So enjoy!))**


	16. Explosions

_**Dedicated to **__**PhoenixofBeautyandPower**_

I open my eyes to find myself, comfortably wrapped in Peter's arms. Its dark out, but the moonlight shining in through the living room window tells me that we must have fallen asleep while talking on the sofa.

I glance at Peter's face, which is mere inches from mine and smile slightly, I wonder if its creepy to watch someone while they sleep. And if it is, I'm just going to say it now that I really don't care. If people in books and movies can do it then so shall I!

I snuggle back into Peter's arms and just manage to drift off to sleep when the room is lit up with a loud rumble of thunder. It echoes throughout Josh's apartment loudly and I'm instantly filled with fear. Well! Now I'm awake, and there's absolutely no chance I'll get any more sleep tonight.

I lie, stuck in Peter's arms, not really wanting to move even if I could. I wish I had something interesting to do, since trying to think about my life really isn't a good option right now, so. I guess I'll take the next best option. It may be around three am, but if I'm awake. Peter should be too.

"Peeeeeetttteeeeeer." I drawl out, centimetres from his ear. He groans in annoyance before opening his eyes sleepily.

"Where am I?" He asks, seemingly confused, but with an added look saying he's not going to let go of me anytime soon.

"You are currently imprisoning me in your arms in Josh's living room. Apparently we fell asleep." He goes to move away when I stop him, not wanting to miss his arms around me. "I'm perfectly happy with the imprisonment by the way, but there's a thunderstorm going on outside and I thought you should share my pain."

I can almost imagine him rolling his eyes at me as he yawns. "Go back to sleep Ria."

"But Peter!" I reply in slight annoyance, just when another thunder clap makes me jump.

"Oh, so you can save the whole town by taking on a explosion of powers. You can live with time slowing down, and some psychopath living in your mind is a piece of cake. But thunderstorms is where you draw the line at bravery?" Peter doesn't seem to be fully awake yet, so I just ignore his comment and try not to think about the noisy sounds coming from outside the window.

"Peter?" I whisper after a few minutes, receiving a sigh in response.

"...What?"

"NASA invented thunderstorms to cover up the sounds of space battles you know?" I wait for a reaction from him, but all I receive is silence, followed by laughter.

"Ria. You are the weirdest person I've ever met."

"Yeah..." I mutter, "That's why you love me. I mean-"

"Sleep Ria! Seriously!" When I pull a sad face at him, his annoyed tone changes to a more convincing one. "Ugh.. Ria. If you let me get some sleep, I promise to take you on a date for breakfast in the morning."

"A date on a rooftop?" I ask happily. There's just something about being on top of a building, watching people walk by living their lives that I enjoy. But I really doubt he'll take this as an option.

"I am not letting you anywhere near the edge of a building Ria, not if you keep passing out." He whispers, struggling not to yawn.

"Hmm... Will there be donuts?" I poke his arm gently as he sighs.

"Yes! Just please let me sleep!"

Begrudgingly I stare at the ceiling for what seems like hours but only turns out to be fifteen minutes, flinching with every flash of lightning and boom of thunder, before pulling myself out of Peter's arms. I grab a nearby blanket and drape it over him before walking towards my bedroom.

My first, actual date. Well, one that will hopefully not end up with me in hospital. Maybe I should try to forget about the horrible annoyance that is thunder and lightning outside, and force myself to sleep so I look remotely gorgeous for my new boyfriend.

Just before I enter my room, I notice a crack of light shining through the door in Jenny's bedroom. Knocking softly, I walk in as soon as I hear her say to come in. Smiling awkwardly at her, I remember what happened a few hours ago. She's either going to think I'm insane, or she'll hopefully completely understand.

I glance up at her to start an explanation when I notice the look on her face.

"Are you ok Jenny?" I question softly, not wanting to cause her to be more upset then she already seems to be. Tears are accumulating in the corners of her eyes, and when she glances up at me, her fake smile she puts on doesn't quite meet her eyes.

"Uhhuh. You feeling better?" She blatantly lies, flipping her pen round and round in her fingers nervously.

"Jenny. I know you, you want to tell me something but you're scared. What is it?"

"I..." She bites her lip worriedly, like she's having an internal argument with herself. God knows I've had my fair share of those. I guess it's just kind of different when the argument isn't just with your own thoughts.

"Did Josh tell you about the accident that gave me and him our powers? The bus full of kids, ending up being a long string of experiments?" She seems do anxious, and all it makes me want to do is hug her.

"A little bit. Well... not much really, he doesn't seem to like talking about it." I say, recalling a extremely brief conversation I had with Josh one time. It had lasted less than five minutes and ended with him excusing himself after telling me never to ask about what happened again.

"I don't like talking about it either... but when Peter told me about... this Zilla person who's living in your mind. It reminded me of it." She still avoids eye contact with me, but seems slightly more confident with sharing whatever is on her mind. I have no clue what it is, but I can tell it's something that hurts, badly.

"One of the girls on the bus was my best friend. She... She was the nicest girl imaginable." A small smile develops on her face as she thinks about a past memory. "Her name was Kenzie."

"Was?" I ask, instantly regretting it as the smile drops from her face.

"These people took us, basically kidnapped us. Every child on the bus was experimented on. Until Josh decided he was going to get everyone out of there, and made sure the people wouldn't come after us." She sighs deeply, "When Kenzie walked out of that building, it was like she was a whole different person. She was quiet, and jumpy. Which, I was too after everything we went through, but a whole lot more so."

I stay silent, not wanting to stop her from speaking about something she obviously needs to get off her chest. I wonder if she's ever had someone to talk to about these things.

"There were just small differences, she would say things she would normally never say. She would randomly have bouts of confidence then seem like the slightest noise would make her jump. That's when she asked me about hearing someone's voice in your head."

Crud. No. She's kidding right? She has to be kidding.

"And then... she would forget she ever asked about it-" I leap forward eagerly, taking in every detail I can.

"What happened to her?" I shakily ask. Please let it be something not horrible. I don't want to hear horror stories at four am, the day before my first proper date with Peter as his official girlfriend.

"That's what I've been trying to find out," She gestures at her open laptop, with her browser open on Facebook. "She seems to have-"

A sharp pain pierces through my mind as Jenny finishes off her sentence. I fall to the floor and land on my hands and knees wishing like crazy for the deafening pain to stop. Clearly Zilla doesn't want me knowing anything about Kenzie, her original "host".

"Zaria! Are you ok? I'll go get Peter." I block her path by falling against the door as she goes to leave the room, and only just manage to shake my head at her. When the room stops spinning and I can focus on Jenny again I force a smile.

"I'm fine Jenny, really." I shakily stand and lean against the wall, trying to make it look like this particular wall isn't the only thing keeping me from falling flat on my face. "Don't even mention this conversation to him ok?"

Jenny looks unsure but nods. Turning back to her computer and typing in a small chat box.

I bite my lip in worry as soon as she stops looking. Did I tell her not to tell Peter? Or did Zilla? And most importantly, shouldn't I know the answer to those questions regardless?

**_((Hey people. I had several arguments with this chapter. I hope you're all happy... _**  
**_Seriously though, I Hope you enjoyed this! Next chapter is their first date. Aww. What could go wrong!))_**


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